Mind Behind The Crime | The Psychology Of Killers

In this episode of Hidden Killers, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins us to unpack the disturbing psychology and systemic collapse behind the escape of Morgan Geyser — the now-23-year-old woman who attempted a ritualistic Slender Man killing as a child, and who recently slipped out of a state-approved group home with a 42-year-old man after cutting off her GPS monitor. This wasn't a locked facility. This wasn't a secure psychiatric placement. This was a quiet residential street with families and kids — none of whom were told she was there. Tonight, we dig into the dangerous illusion of “stability” in cases like this. For years, Morgan lived in the tightly controlled structure of an institution. But structure can mask fragility. Compliance is not recovery. And what looked like stability to officials has now erupted into an interstate escape, a severed GPS bracelet, a fake name, and a bizarre “Google me” exchange with police. Shavaun walks us through the psychological landmines: • What her original violent delusion reveals about long-term risk • Why institutional calm can lull clinicians into false confidence • The overlooked red flags: dark material, troubling adult contacts • Why placing her in an unsecure group home was a catastrophic risk • What attachment to a much older man signals clinically • How quickly delusion-based distortions can return • The massive danger created when addresses are sealed from the public • Why relapse in psychosis can be invisible until it's explosive And then there's the system failure: When Morgan cut her GPS bracelet, the alert came in around 9:30 p.m. Police weren't notified until nearly 12 hours later. For victims like Payton Leutner, this is a nightmare come back to life. For the public, it's a warning about how dangerously optimistic the system can be when evaluating violent, delusion-based offenders. This episode pulls the curtain back on the psychology — and the failures — behind a case that never should have been allowed to unfold this way. #HiddenKillers #MorganGeyser #SlenderMan #TrueCrime #MentalHealth #Psychosis #SystemFailure #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott #CrimeNews Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Tonight on Hidden Killers, we sit down with psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to examine one of the most psychologically alarming missing-child cases in recent memory: the disappearance of nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard — and the unraveling mental state of her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, whose behavior seems to be spiraling far past “odd” and into a realm of fractured reality. This is a case defined by contradictions, delusion-like narratives, and a system trapped in its own limitations. Ashlee has claimed her house is bugged, that strangers are monitoring her, that law enforcement is tracking her every move, and that a mystery couple from a zoo — whose names she can't provide — is caring for Melodee. Meanwhile, she's deleting accounts, swapping plates, dismantling her digital life, and creating what looks disturbingly like a symbolic stand-in for Melodee on a pillow inside the home. And through all of this, Melodee hasn't been heard from in nearly two months. Tonight, Shavaun breaks down the psychological red flags: • What paranoia and impaired reality-testing actually look like • Why her story shifts from day to day • What the “shrine” on the couch signals clinically • Whether the flight behaviors suggest panic, planning, or manic unraveling • Why calm, controlled behavior can mask severe internal instability • The danger to a child depending on a parent whose reality is fractured But the bigger story is the systemic failure: Why hasn't Ashlee been detained? Why no psychiatric hold? Why can't the system intervene when a child is missing and a parent is unraveling? Shavaun walks us through the brutal truth: unless someone meets the impossibly narrow legal standard of “imminent danger,” mental-health and child-welfare systems are often legally powerless — even when the red flags are blinking in neon. If you're following the Buzzard case, this is the conversation you need to hear. #HiddenKillers #MelodeeBuzzard #AshleeBuzzard #TrueCrime #MissingChild #Psychology #MentalHealthCrisis #SystemFailure #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Tonight on Hidden Killers, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott helps us unravel two cases that shouldn't be connected — but absolutely are. On one side: Ashlee Buzzard, a mother spiraling into paranoia, delusion, secrecy, and destabilization as her nine-year-old daughter, Melodee, remains missing. On the other: Morgan Geyser, the Slender Man attacker who escaped a state placement, cut her ankle monitor, crossed state lines with a 42-year-old man, and was found behind a truck stop. Two wildly different cases. One identical problem: a system incapable of responding to psychological danger until AFTER the damage is done. Shavaun takes us deep into the psychology behind both crises. In the Buzzard case, we look at fractured reality, shifting stories, conspiracy fears, digital erasure, symbolic “shrines,” and the psychological danger created when a child's safety depends entirely on a parent who may no longer be tethered to shared reality — yet shows just enough calm to avoid involuntary intervention. In the Geyser case, we dig into the illusion of “recovery,” the fragility of delusion-based offenders, hidden addresses, overlooked red flags, troubling adult relationships, and the near-disastrous consequences of placing someone with her history in an unsecured neighborhood with nothing but a GPS bracelet — a bracelet that failed the moment it mattered. Both cases ask the same chilling questions: • Why can't the system intervene before irreversible harm? • Why is “imminent danger” defined so narrowly it becomes meaningless? • How can someone be deeply unstable yet still appear compliant enough to avoid detection? • How many red flags does it take before a child or community is protected? This is a conversation about psychology, danger, and systemic blind spots — and why families, victims, and entire neighborhoods keep getting blindsided by crises everyone saw coming but nobody was legally allowed to stop. #HiddenKillers #MelodeeBuzzard #AshleeBuzzard #MorganGeyser #SlenderMan #TrueCrime #MentalHealthCrisis #SystemFailure #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we revisit the shocking moment that shattered the illusion of Adelson family unity — Wendi Adelson's refusal to testify for her mother, Donna, in one of Florida's most explosive murder-for-hire trials. In a stunning pretrial twist, Donna's defense team tried to subpoena her daughter, Wendi, hoping her testimony might humanize Donna or counterbalance the prosecution's narrative. But Wendi's lawyers fought back, arguing that testifying could incriminate her — and the judge agreed. The subpoena was tossed, meaning Wendi will not be forced to take the stand. It's a moment that speaks volumes without a word being spoken. While Charlie Adelson, already convicted and serving life for his role in the 2014 murder of Florida State law professor Dan Markel, steps forward to testify for his mother, Wendi stays silent. In a case built on loyalty, control, and manipulation, this silence may say more than any testimony ever could. Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott break down what this fracture reveals about the psychology of the Adelson family — how fear, guilt, and self-preservation drive behavior when the walls close in. They analyze how jurors are likely to interpret the sibling contrast: one child taking the stand for loyalty, another staying quiet to save herself. Does Wendi's silence protect her, or does it make her look complicit? Then, defense attorney and former prosecutor Eric Faddis joins Tony to explore how this new dynamic could shift courtroom strategy. Could Donna's team now push harder to put her on the stand herself, hoping to fill the emotional vacuum left by Wendi's absence? And what will the state do with a family now publicly divided — a daughter refusing to help her mother, a son defending her from a prison cell? This isn't just a trial about murder. It's about the collapse of a dynasty built on influence and image, where loyalty has finally given way to self-preservation.

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we're unpacking one of the most haunting psychological stories to emerge from the Gilgo Beach murders — the steadfast denial of Asa Ellerup, estranged wife of accused serial killer Rex Heuermann. Even as prosecutors present a mountain of evidence — DNA matches, hair fibers from family members found on victims, burner phones, and a detailed murder planning document — Asa still calls her husband her “hero.” She describes visiting him in jail as feeling like “a first date.” She smiles when she hears his voice. She insists their home — where police say the murders were plotted — could never be a crime scene. In this gripping psychological breakdown, retired FBI Behavioral Analyst Robin Dreeke joins Tony Brueski to dissect how trauma, denial, and love can merge into something that looks like loyalty but is really self-preservation. Dreeke explains how 27 years of marriage built what he calls a “truth infrastructure” — a psychological foundation so powerful that admitting betrayal feels more dangerous than believing the lie. He unpacks the mechanics of trauma bonding, cognitive dissonance, and protective blindness, explaining how the human brain often rejects unbearable truth to preserve emotional stability. Dreeke also explores how financial stress, illness, and media exploitation may amplify Asa's denial — especially as she battles cancer, navigates public scrutiny, and faces criticism for participating in the Peacock documentary The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets. Then, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony to analyze the most disturbing moments captured on camera — including Rex's recorded jail calls and Asa's telling body language. Why does she close her eyes when confronted with evidence? Why does she describe love as something that would “hurt him”? Scott reveals how guilt, dependency, and unresolved trauma often trap partners of predators in cycles of emotional paralysis. Together, Dreeke and Scott piece together a portrait not just of denial — but of the psychological collateral damage left behind when a family's reality is shattered by unimaginable truth.

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we're revisiting one of the most disturbing and debated questions of the year: Was Bryan Kohberger just a socially awkward PhD student obsessed with criminology—or a meticulous killer hiding in plain sight? In this full-length breakdown, Tony Brueski sits down with former felony prosecutor and defense attorney Eric Faddis, and later, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott, to unravel both sides of the psychological and legal battlefield surrounding the Idaho student murder case. From disappearing cell phone signals to Amazon receipts allegedly showing purchases of masks and knives months before the crime, the evidence paints a chilling picture of intent and foresight. Prosecutors say these details form a digital breadcrumb trail of premeditation—a methodical pattern that includes turning off his phone during the murders, changing his license plates afterward, and buying a new knife sharpener like it was just another household necessity. Faddis breaks down how prosecutors could use this mountain of circumstantial evidence to prove intent and pattern, while the defense may counter with claims of coincidence—or even neurodivergence, arguing that Kohberger's socially awkward behavior is being misinterpreted as malice. Could an autism spectrum defense help humanize him in front of a jury—or would it risk sounding like an excuse for cold, calculated planning? Then, Shavaun Scott joins Tony for the darker dive — exploring the unsettling parallels between Kohberger's alleged actions and cinematic killers like Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) and Norman Bates (Psycho). From his mirror selfie and sterile composure to online alter egos like “Papa Rodger” commenting about the murders in real time, they examine how narcissism, ego, and obsession with control may have blended into performance. Was Kohberger studying criminology to understand crime—or to perfect it? And if these clues were left on purpose, what was the endgame: to prove superiority, or to be remembered?

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we're going beyond the headlines to examine the psychological machinery behind one of the most explosive celebrity trials of the decade — Sean “Diddy” Combs and the disturbing allegations that have shattered his empire. In this powerful two-part special, Tony Brueski is joined by psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to break down the alleged behavioral profile of Diddy — not from a place of gossip, but through a clinical lens. Scott explores whether Combs' reported actions align with narcissistic personality traits, psychopathic tendencies, and patterns of coercive control often seen in long-term cycles of abuse. From alleged emotional domination and financial control to threats, surveillance, and sexual coercion, Scott unpacks how power and pathology intertwine — and how high-profile abusers weaponize influence, fear, and fame to keep victims silent. It's a chilling look at how manipulation can masquerade as charisma, and how the psychology of celebrity can distort accountability on a global scale. Then, in the second half, Tony delivers a full breakdown of the most pivotal week of the Diddy federal trial (June 12–16, 2025) — a stretch of testimony and evidence that could decide whether the hip-hop mogul spends life in prison or walks free. Among the bombshell moments: Six firearms with defaced serial numbers found near alleged “freak-off” supplies. Homeland Security's discovery of AR-15 parts, drugs, and lubricants allegedly tied to a sex-trafficking operation. The emotional testimony of “Jane,” who confronted Diddy in court after describing years of abuse and coercion. Immunity witness Jonathan Perez, Diddy's former assistant, whose drug procurement testimony both strengthened and complicated the government's case. Kanye West's surreal courthouse appearance, adding a spectacle to an already volatile trial. And the controversial dismissal of Juror #6, a decision now under scrutiny for potential bias. Together, these two lenses — the psychological and the procedural — reveal the full picture of a man once untouchable, now facing the reckoning of his own creation.

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we turn our focus to one of the most bizarre and psychologically chilling trials unfolding in America: Lori Vallow Daybell, the self-proclaimed prophet who's decided she's the best person to defend herself in court. Already convicted in Idaho for the murders of her two youngest children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow, and the conspiracy to murder her husband's former wife, Tammy Daybell, Lori is now facing justice in Arizona for the murder of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow. But this time, there's no defense team to shield her — because Lori fired them. She's representing herself. In this special, Tony Brueski sits down with psychotherapist and author Shavaun Scott to unpack the chilling psychology behind Lori's decision, exploring how delusion, narcissism, and religious grandiosity collide in a courtroom setting. Lori's behavior — confident, defiant, and disturbingly serene — may seem erratic, but Scott explains how it fits a pattern of pathological self-belief common among cult leaders and high-control personalities. During her recent pretrial hearing, Lori insisted on moving forward with trial despite her own forensics expert not being ready, demanded to exclude incriminating statements from her deceased brother Alex Cox, and even tried to subpoena journalist Nate Eaton — the reporter who's covered her saga from day one. She also hinted at testifying in her own defense, setting the stage for one of the most surreal spectacles in recent legal history. But beneath the theatrics lies a darker psychology. Lori isn't just defending herself legally — she's defending her identity as a “divine messenger.” Scott breaks down how shared psychosis (folie à deux) between Lori and her husband Chad Daybell fueled a belief system that justified murder under the guise of prophecy. Together, they turned apocalypse fantasies into fatal decisions. As jury selection looms and Arizona prosecutors prepare to argue their case, Tony and Shavaun explore whether Lori's self-representation is a strategy, a symptom, or both — and how her religious delusions continue to warp her sense of accountability.

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we revisit one of the most shocking and psychologically revealing cases of the year — the federal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, where allegations of manipulation, coercive control, and psychological abuse have redefined how power, fame, and fear intertwine. In this full-length special, Tony Brueski sits down with psychotherapist Shavaun Scott and retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke for a two-part deep dive into the disturbing behavioral patterns emerging from the trial — and the psychology of a man accused of wielding control like a weapon. Shavaun Scott breaks down ten key psychological tactics allegedly used by Combs against Cassie Ventura, as detailed in testimony and filings: covert manipulation, emotional isolation, threats, intimidation, extortion through explicit material, and the gradual dismantling of personal autonomy. She explains how high-profile abusers create invisible cages — systems of dependence and fear that trap victims even under the public eye. Then, Robin Dreeke analyzes the case from a behavioral intelligence perspective — mapping how powerful figures maintain a dual identity: adored in public, feared in private. From the alleged use of surveillance and financial control to the orchestration of silence among inner-circle members, Dreeke exposes how a “high-functioning predator” can operate unchecked for decades. The discussion also explores the psychology of complicity — how enablers and bystanders become part of the abuse cycle, whether through fear, loyalty, or career survival. Both experts highlight the chilling consistency between Combs' alleged conduct and established behavioral profiles of coercive narcissists and organized abusers. This is more than a celebrity scandal. It's a clinical case study in power addiction, psychological dominance, and the systemic failures that allow fame to mask abuse.

When the Epstein files go public, the biggest shock won't be a single name — it will be the realization of how many institutions failed, looked away, or quietly enabled a predator to operate at the highest levels of society. And once that truth lands, America is going to feel something profound: institutional betrayal. In this riveting one-hour discussion, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott dig into the psychology of what happens when the public discovers that the systems they trusted were protecting someone like Jeffrey Epstein. Governments. Universities. Financial institutions. Social circles. Even media figures. When the public sees how interconnected it all was, trust fractures — sometimes permanently. Shavaun explains why institutional betrayal wounds deeper than individual harm, why people struggle to process wrongdoing by powerful figures, and why this release may cause a destabilizing but necessary shift in how Americans view power, authority, and accountability. We explore the psychological whiplash of discovering that “the system worked” was a myth. Why people defend public figures out of identity rather than fact. And why denial becomes a survival mechanism when the truth feels too big to accept. Most importantly, we examine what healing could look like — how truth, even painful truth, can be the beginning of a more honest national conversation about abuse, complicity, and institutional decay. This interview isn't about politics. It's about psychology. And it's about what happens when a country finally sees what was in the dark. #HiddenKillers #EpsteinFiles #InstitutionalBetrayal #ShavaunScott #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimeAnalysis #PowerAndAbuse #Psychology #NationalTrauma #MentalHealth Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

The public sees headlines. Survivors feel earthquakes. As the full Epstein files move toward release, America is fixated on the political implications. But for the survivors of Epstein and his network, this is something else entirely — a psychological rupture, a reopening of wounds, a wave of validation mingled with dread. And that emotional reality often gets lost in the noise. In this gripping conversation, Tony Brueski is joined by psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to break down what this moment truly means for survivors, both publicly known and privately suffering. Shavaun explains why major truth-reveals can reactivate trauma stored deep in the body. Why survivors can experience physical symptoms, flashbacks, emotional volatility, or sudden dissociation when their stories re-enter public consciousness. And why validation — even when desperately needed — is not always simple, gentle, or healing in the moment. We also explore the psychological impact on families of survivors, who have carried their own secondary trauma for years. Many will watch their loved ones relive the past. Others will face the public glare, the online chaos, and the uncertainty that comes with knowing what the files might reveal. And beyond survivors, Shavaun addresses something the public rarely considers: how this national moment may trigger people who were never directly connected to Epstein at all — anyone with a personal history of abuse, betrayal, or institutional failure. This episode is a raw, compassionate, deeply informed look at the human cost behind the headlines. #HiddenKillers #EpsteinFiles #ShavaunScott #Trauma #SurvivorVoices #TonyBrueski #PsychologicalImpact #TruthAndHealing #MentalHealthMatters #TrueCrimePodcast Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

The Epstein files are about to drop — not rumors, not whispers, not selectively leaked scraps — the full trove of documents America has spent years demanding. And while the legal system prepares for its moment, the rest of the country is bracing for something far deeper: the psychological shockwave that comes when long-buried truth finally hits daylight. In this powerful hour-long conversation, Tony Brueski sits down with psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to examine the emotional and psychological fallout that is about to ripple through millions of people. From survivors who will relive their trauma in real time, to families who have carried the weight of these stories for decades, to a public that is finally about to see how deeply Epstein's influence reached — nothing about this moment is simple. Shavaun breaks down why this case carries such heavy emotional gravity, why institutional betrayal hits harder than individual wrongdoing, and how the human brain reacts when long-hidden truths collide with years of speculation, denial, conspiracy, and political posturing. We explore the trauma responses that may surface for survivors. The panic, defensiveness, and rationalization likely to erupt from those whose names appear in the documents. The wave of cognitive dissonance the public will feel when familiar faces and trusted institutions are forced into the spotlight. And the psychological mechanisms — shame, fear, denial — that will shape the national conversation in the days and weeks after release. This isn't just a news event. This is a national psychological event. And Shavaun Scott helps us understand exactly what that means. #HiddenKillers #EpsteinFiles #ShavaunScott #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimeAnalysis #Psychology #TraumaRecovery #EpsteinCase #InstitutionalBetrayal #MentalHealth Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

When the Epstein files go public, the biggest shock won't be a single name — it will be the realization of how many institutions failed, looked away, or quietly enabled a predator to operate at the highest levels of society. And once that truth lands, America is going to feel something profound: institutional betrayal. In this riveting one-hour discussion, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott dig into the psychology of what happens when the public discovers that the systems they trusted were protecting someone like Jeffrey Epstein. Governments. Universities. Financial institutions. Social circles. Even media figures. When the public sees how interconnected it all was, trust fractures — sometimes permanently. Shavaun explains why institutional betrayal wounds deeper than individual harm, why people struggle to process wrongdoing by powerful figures, and why this release may cause a destabilizing but necessary shift in how Americans view power, authority, and accountability. We explore the psychological whiplash of discovering that “the system worked” was a myth. Why people defend public figures out of identity rather than fact. And why denial becomes a survival mechanism when the truth feels too big to accept. Most importantly, we examine what healing could look like — how truth, even painful truth, can be the beginning of a more honest national conversation about abuse, complicity, and institutional decay. This interview isn't about politics. It's about psychology. And it's about what happens when a country finally sees what was in the dark. #HiddenKillers #EpsteinFiles #InstitutionalBetrayal #ShavaunScott #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimeAnalysis #PowerAndAbuse #Psychology #NationalTrauma #MentalHealth Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

In this explosive Hidden Killers feature, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott dissect the most dangerous phrase in American child-protection law: “imminent danger.” It's the loophole that leaves families powerless, law enforcement stalled, and children unprotected until tragedy strikes. The Melodee Buzzard case exposes how a slow-moving legal standard allowed a crisis to become a disappearance — even as every red flag was documented in real time. Shavaun reveals how mental-health systems confuse autonomy with safety, how judges hesitate to intervene without physical harm, and how this outdated framework turns compassion into catastrophe. Tony drives the hard questions: Why didn't anyone step in when relatives begged for help? Why was a missing school record not enough? Why did it take a felony charge to get attention? Together they offer real, actionable solutions — from mobile crisis co-response units to pattern-based legal triggers — that balance civil rights with child safety. This isn't just commentary; it's a call for reform. Because if we keep waiting for proof of danger, we'll keep finding it too late. #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott #MelodeeBuzzard #AshleeBuzzard #TrueCrime #MentalHealthReform #ChildWelfare #SystemicFailure #JusticeForMelodee Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

This is the story that will make you furious — because every step of it was predictable. In this Hidden Killers deep dive, Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott examine the disturbing mental unraveling that led to the disappearance of Melodee Buzzard. From the first red flags — school absence, social isolation, and erratic behavior — to the alarming road trip with wigs, fake plates, and a child who never returned, every sign pointed toward a crisis in plain sight. Yet, the law did nothing. The threshold for “imminent danger” demanded proof of harm — even as danger screamed from every corner. Shavaun explains how a person in psychological free-fall can appear “functional” enough to evade intervention, and why families who report warning signs are so often dismissed as overreacting. The false-imprisonment charge that followed weeks later — multiple locks, a box cutter, and an accusation of “violence, menace, fraud, and deceit” — reads like a postscript to the same nightmare. Tony and Shavaun break down not just what went wrong, but how to fix it — legally, clinically, and emotionally — so another family doesn't have to live this horror in real time. #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott #MelodeeBuzzard #AshleeBuzzard #TrueCrimePodcast #ChildProtection #MentalHealthCrisis #FamilyFailure #BrokenSystem Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

In this harrowing Hidden Killers special, Tony Brueski sits down with psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to unpack one of the most haunting modern tragedies — the disappearance of nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard and the slow, visible mental collapse of her mother, Ashlee Buzzard. Every warning was there: relatives cut off, a child missing from school rolls, no homeschool paperwork, a home in disarray. Then came the wigs, a license-plate swap, a multi-state trip — and a mother returning without her daughter. Weeks later, an alleged false-imprisonment incident involving multiple locks and a box cutter confirmed the nightmare. Through a clinical and human lens, Shavaun exposes how “the system worked exactly as designed — and that's the problem.” Families are handcuffed by “imminent danger” laws that demand proof before help, while crises spiral into tragedy. Tony and Shavaun break down how to recognize delusion, how to act before it's too late, and how the laws meant to protect privacy are now costing lives. This is a deep, emotional exploration of failure — and what must change before another Melodee disappears. #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott #MelodeeBuzzard #AshleeBuzzard #TrueCrime #ChildSafety #MentalHealthCrisis #BrokenSystem #JusticeForMelodee Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

In this explosive Hidden Killers feature, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott dissect the most dangerous phrase in American child-protection law: “imminent danger.” It's the loophole that leaves families powerless, law enforcement stalled, and children unprotected until tragedy strikes. The Melodee Buzzard case exposes how a slow-moving legal standard allowed a crisis to become a disappearance — even as every red flag was documented in real time. Shavaun reveals how mental-health systems confuse autonomy with safety, how judges hesitate to intervene without physical harm, and how this outdated framework turns compassion into catastrophe. Tony drives the hard questions: Why didn't anyone step in when relatives begged for help? Why was a missing school record not enough? Why did it take a felony charge to get attention? Together they offer real, actionable solutions — from mobile crisis co-response units to pattern-based legal triggers — that balance civil rights with child safety. This isn't just commentary; it's a call for reform. Because if we keep waiting for proof of danger, we'll keep finding it too late. #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott #MelodeeBuzzard #AshleeBuzzard #TrueCrime #MentalHealthReform #ChildWelfare #SystemicFailure #JusticeForMelodee Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

What happens when two teenage survivors watch the court set their attacker free? In the case of Jesse Mack Butler, charged with eleven felonies — including rape, strangulation, and assault — the answer is unthinkable: one year of supervision, zero prison time, and a wiped record. In this powerful interview, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott break down the psychology of protection — from parental denial to systemic apathy. They explore how communities normalize violence, how judges mistake privilege for potential, and how survivors carry the trauma of a system that refused to protect them. This isn't about one case — it's about what happens when justice becomes an accomplice. #HiddenKillersPodcast #JesseButlerCase #JusticeFailed #PsychologicalAnalysis #ShavaunScott #SurvivorVoices #TraumaInformed #TrueCrimeCommentary #HiddenKillersLive #SystemicInjustice Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Two 16-year-old girls were attacked. One was choked unconscious. One nearly died. The evidence was undeniable — partial phone video, medical proof, and multiple felony charges. Yet the court said: “He deserves another chance.” Why? Because he was a “good kid.” Tony Brueski sits down with psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to explore the disturbing cultural conditioning that keeps excusing violent young men — and the devastating psychological toll that leniency takes on survivors. They dive deep into the psychology of denial, family image-protection, and the small-town empathy that shields offenders instead of victims. This isn't a courtroom story — it's a cultural mirror. #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #JesseButler #GoodKidNarrative #PsychologyOfDenial #TraumaRecovery #JusticeSystem #ShavaunScott #VictimAdvocacy #PatriarchalPrivilege Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

 How does someone charged with eleven felonies — including rape and strangulation — walk away with a single year of supervision? In Stillwater, Oklahoma, 17-year-old Jesse Mack Butler attacked two teenage girls so brutally one nearly died. Police had video evidence. Doctors confirmed near-fatal injuries. Yet the court called it “rehabilitation.” In this episode, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott unpack the psychology of protection — the denial, privilege, and misplaced empathy that let predators slip through the cracks. From family complicity to small-town bias, this is a case study in how justice fails survivors — and what it says about our collective moral blindness. Watch the full discussion and join the conversation about what true accountability should look like. #JesseButler #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimePodcast #JusticeForSurvivors #ShavaunScott #TrueCrimeDiscussion #PredatorPsychology #RapeCulture #TraumaInformedJustice #SystemicFailure Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

When Ajike Owens was killed through a closed door, her four children lost their mother — and a nation faced the consequences of unchecked paranoia. In this exclusive episode, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels to dissect the mental chain reaction behind that fatal moment. Scott explores how chronic resentment, fear scripting, and entitlement converge in what she calls “justified aggression”—the mind's way of excusing harm under the guise of self-protection. She breaks down how fear, when reinforced over years, becomes not a response but an identity. The discussion turns toward healing: what happens to children who witness or lose parents to violence, what recovery actually looks like, and how society can stop mistaking grievance for danger.  This is not just analysis — it's a human reckoning with how far distorted thinking can go when no one intervenes. #ShavaunScott #HiddenKillersPodcast #ThePerfectNeighbor #AjikeOwens #SusanLorincz #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimeToday #PsychologyOfFear #TraumaRecovery #FearVsAccountability Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels to unpack the warped psychology behind The Perfect Neighbor case — where “fear” became justification for a killing. For two years, Susan Lorincz saw danger in ordinary life: neighborhood kids, laughter, noise. That chronic hyper-vigilance — mixed with grievance and entitlement — built a narrative that only she believed. Scott explores how paranoia and cognitive distortion feed on isolation, turning imagined threat into moral crusade. From micro-aggressions to the myth of the “good citizen,” this interview asks what happens when anxiety weaponizes itself and empathy disappears. Scott also offers trauma-informed insights for the secondary victims — Ajike Owens' children — and explains how communities can recognize early warning signs before another tragedy repeats. #ThePerfectNeighbor #ShavaunScott #AjikeOwens #HiddenKillersPodcast #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimeAnalysis #FearVsReality #TraumaPsychology #BehavioralHealth #StandYourGround Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

A mother is dead. A neighbor claims fear. But what really drove Susan Lorincz to pull the trigger through a closed door?  In this exclusive conversation, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski. Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels to dissect the psychology behind The Perfect Neighbor case — where paranoia, entitlement, and grievance collided in one deadly moment. Scott unpacks the behavioral descent that transforms everyday irritation into lethal certainty. Was Lorincz truly afraid, or was “fear” the mask for long-nurtured anger? From chronic irritability and confirmation bias to the self-righteous delusion of being “under siege,” Scott breaks down the cognitive distortions that rewrite reality until violence feels justified. Together, they examine how “stand-your-ground” culture, racialized fear, and emotional dysregulation converge — and what this case reveals about the American obsession with safety at all costs. This isn't just a crime story; it's a psychological autopsy of modern paranoia. #ShavaunScott #HiddenKillers #ThePerfectNeighbor #AjikeOwens #SusanLorincz #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimePodcast #PsychologyOfFear #StandYourGround #BehavioralAnalysis Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

When Ajike Owens was killed through a closed door, her four children lost their mother — and a nation faced the consequences of unchecked paranoia. In this exclusive episode, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and Todd Michaels to dissect the mental chain reaction behind that fatal moment. Scott explores how chronic resentment, fear scripting, and entitlement converge in what she calls “justified aggression”—the mind's way of excusing harm under the guise of self-protection. She breaks down how fear, when reinforced over years, becomes not a response but an identity. The discussion turns toward healing: what happens to children who witness or lose parents to violence, what recovery actually looks like, and how society can stop mistaking grievance for danger.  This is not just analysis — it's a human reckoning with how far distorted thinking can go when no one intervenes. #ShavaunScott #HiddenKillersPodcast #ThePerfectNeighbor #AjikeOwens #SusanLorincz #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimeToday #PsychologyOfFear #TraumaRecovery #FearVsAccountability Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Two crimes. Two young lives. Two moments of sheer panic that turned fatal. A musician whose Tesla held the body of a missing 15-year-old. A college cheerleader who hid her newborn in a closet, then went out for fast food. In this extended Hidden Killers episode, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott dissect the chilling psychology behind both the D4vd / Celeste Rivas Hernandez and Laken Snelling cases — revealing how fear, shame, and an underdeveloped brain can twist reality into delusion. Why do young people believe they can hide what can't be hidden? What happens in the mind when panic flips the switch from reason to denial? And what does neuroscience tell us about the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain that's supposed to see the bigger picture — simply not being ready yet? This isn't about monsters. It's about immaturity, fear, and the illusion of control. It's about how a single impulsive act — followed by a catastrophic cover-up — can change everything. Raw, honest, and psychologically deep, this episode shows that the scariest thing about these crimes isn't the violence. It's how human the decisions behind them really are. #HiddenKillers #D4vd #LakenSnelling #TrueCrime #PsychologyOfCrime #ShavaunScott #TonyBrueski #ImpulseControl #BrainDevelopment #FearAndDenial Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

When 21-year-old University of Kentucky cheerleader Laken Snelling gave birth alone in her apartment, what happened next stunned investigators. She wrapped her newborn in a towel, placed the body in a trash bag inside her closet — and then, according to court documents, ordered McDonald's through an app and tried to go about her day. This episode digs into that impossible contradiction: how someone can experience the most traumatic moment of their life and immediately act as though nothing happened. Tony Brueski, Stacy Cole, and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott explore the psychological mechanics of shock, shame, and denial — and why the young brain, overwhelmed by fear and isolation, can make devastating choices it can't comprehend. Is this a story of pure evil? Or of panic, immaturity, and a desperate attempt to keep life “normal” when everything has already collapsed? We'll look at how identity, reputation, and fear of judgment can override rational thought, and why concealment often feels like the only option to a terrified young adult. This isn't a story about excuses — it's about understanding how fear rewires the human mind. #HiddenKillers #LakenSnelling #TrueCrime #PsychologyOfDenial #ShavaunScott #TonyBrueski #UniversityOfKentucky #ImpulseControl #CrimeAndPsychology #HiddenBirth Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

When police found the body of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez inside the front trunk of a Tesla registered to the musician known as D4vd, it didn't just expose a horrifying crime scene — it exposed a psychological collapse. A moment where fear, immaturity, and denial replaced logic. In this episode, Tony Brueski sits down with psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to examine the psychology of impulsive concealment — why young people in crisis make catastrophic, irrational choices that they somehow believe will “fix” the problem. Why would anyone think a body in a frunk wouldn't be found? Why do young adults underestimate consequences, even when the evidence is literally sitting in plain sight? And what does this say about a generation raised on instant validation and social-media performance? This isn't a story about criminal genius. It's about panic. About the under-developed prefrontal cortex that governs judgment and foresight — and how, when terror strikes, it simply shuts down. Together, Tony and Shavaun unpack what neuroscience, fear, and shame can do to the human mind when reality feels too big to face. If you've ever wondered why some people make the worst decisions imaginable under pressure, this conversation will change how you think about crime, youth, and consequence. #HiddenKillers #D4vd #CelesteRivasHernandez #TrueCrimePodcast #PsychologyOfCrime #ImpulsiveCrimes #ShavaunScott #TonyBrueski #BrainDevelopment #CrimeAndPsychology Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Two crimes. Two young lives. Two moments of sheer panic that turned fatal. A musician whose Tesla held the body of a missing 15-year-old. A college cheerleader who hid her newborn in a closet, then went out for fast food. In this extended Hidden Killers episode, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott dissect the chilling psychology behind both the D4vd / Celeste Rivas Hernandez and Laken Snelling cases — revealing how fear, shame, and an underdeveloped brain can twist reality into delusion. Why do young people believe they can hide what can't be hidden? What happens in the mind when panic flips the switch from reason to denial? And what does neuroscience tell us about the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain that's supposed to see the bigger picture — simply not being ready yet? This isn't about monsters. It's about immaturity, fear, and the illusion of control. It's about how a single impulsive act — followed by a catastrophic cover-up — can change everything. Raw, honest, and psychologically deep, this episode shows that the scariest thing about these crimes isn't the violence. It's how human the decisions behind them really are. #HiddenKillers #D4vd #LakenSnelling #TrueCrime #PsychologyOfCrime #ShavaunScott #TonyBrueski #ImpulseControl #BrainDevelopment #FearAndDenial Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

It wasn't just Donna Adelson who broke down at sentencing—it was her husband Harvey, too. And in their back-to-back emotional outbursts, we witnessed the unraveling of an entire family narrative that had held for over a decade. In this joint psychological breakdown, Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole are joined by psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to dissect the most emotionally charged—and revealing—moments of both Donna and Harvey's final courtroom statements. Together, we examine: How narcissistic collapse shows up in real time through fractured speech, emotional spirals, and selective memory Why Harvey's grief appears genuine—but is directed toward defending the illusion, not the truth How Donna's use of oaths, denial, and moral inversion reframes her as a victim of the justice system The family system that enabled this collapse—and what happens when loyalty outweighs accountability This is what it sounds like when a legacy built on image can no longer hold the weight of the truth.

Donna Adelson didn't beg for mercy at sentencing—she grabbed the mic and tried to rewrite history. In this raw, emotionally fractured courtroom speech, Donna portrayed herself not as a conspirator—but as a victim. “There are two crimes,” she declared. “The second is taking my life.” Her voice cracked, her story crumbled, and what we witnessed was more than denial—it was psychological collapse playing out live. In this episode, psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski to dissect: What narcissistic collapse really looks and sounds like when the façade finally breaks Why Donna's repeated references to her grandchildren, oaths on her life, and attacks on the system reveal more about control than conscience How emotional manipulation works in sentencing statements—and why selective grief is a red flag The psychological toll of living inside a family system built on secrecy, power, and self-preservation This isn't just courtroom drama. It's behavioral dissection.

What happens when a man loses not just his wife—but the version of reality he's built for over 50 years? In this gripping episode, we unpack the emotional, erratic, and deeply revealing courtroom statement of Harvey Adelson, the husband of convicted murderer Donna Adelson. At her sentencing, Harvey took the stand and delivered a passionate defense of his wife—denying all wrongdoing, blaming the justice system, accusing witnesses of lying, and even calling Dan Markel's grieving parents dishonest. But here's the twist: Harvey's grief is real. So is his collapse. And so is his refusal to acknowledge the truth. With psychotherapist Shavaun Scott, we explore: The psychology of enmeshment and why Harvey can't separate Donna's guilt from his own identity Why family loyalty in narcissistic systems becomes more important than the truth How denial, image preservation, and emotional breakdown all show up in real time What it means when someone experiences their spouse's conviction as their own personal execution This is not just a reaction. It's a psychological autopsy of a collapsing dynasty.

It wasn't just Donna Adelson who broke down at sentencing—it was her husband Harvey, too. And in their back-to-back emotional outbursts, we witnessed the unraveling of an entire family narrative that had held for over a decade. In this joint psychological breakdown, Tony Brueski and Stacy Cole are joined by psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to dissect the most emotionally charged—and revealing—moments of both Donna and Harvey's final courtroom statements. Together, we examine: How narcissistic collapse shows up in real time through fractured speech, emotional spirals, and selective memory Why Harvey's grief appears genuine—but is directed toward defending the illusion, not the truth How Donna's use of oaths, denial, and moral inversion reframes her as a victim of the justice system The family system that enabled this collapse—and what happens when loyalty outweighs accountability This is what it sounds like when a legacy built on image can no longer hold the weight of the truth.

This wasn't an outburst. It was, according to prosecutors, a deliberate, public execution. A bolt-action rifle. A rooftop. A single shot aimed at a political figure speaking to a crowd of thousands. Prosecutors say Tyler James Robinson left a note, sent texts, and planned every detail. In this gripping and unsettling episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott unravel the deeper psychology of targeted violence—and how some killers don't just act, they perform. From the alleged planning to the engraving on the bullets, the post-crime concealment, and the so-called “energy burst” of activity right after the shot—this wasn't just about killing. It was about control. Symbolism. Message. In this interview, we explore: How violent actors create their own mythology around the act The psychology of public spectacle and performance-driven violence Why some shooters choose rooftops, long guns, and high-attention moments What happens psychologically after the act: the crash, the clean-up, and the final justification We also examine how obsession, identity, and a need for significance play into the creation of what some perpetrators see as a necessary act of violence. If you've ever wondered what turns someone from angry to armed—and what mental framework allows a person to believe they're righteous in doing so—this is the episode to watch.

The warning signs were there. According to prosecutors, Tyler James Robinson—the man charged in the assassination of Charlie Kirk—left behind a note, sent texts before and after the shooting, and planned the act for over a week. Yet no one stopped it. In this episode of Hidden Killers, host Tony Brueski sits down with psychotherapist and forensic behavioral expert Shavaun Scott to dissect the psychology behind leakage, missed signals, and why families, friends, and institutions continue to fail at catching killers before they act. We're asking the hard questions: Why do people hesitate to report concerning behavior—even when their gut says something's wrong? What language patterns and behavior shifts should raise red flags in friends, classmates, or coworkers? What role does the internet play in radicalizing already isolated individuals? What can schools, campuses, and event organizers realistically do to stop this? This isn't about panic. It's about prevention. Because according to the Secret Service, most mass shooters display obvious warning signs in the days, weeks, and months before they act. This episode pulls back the curtain on the psychology of targeted violence—and why so many communities only connect the dots when it's already too late.

This wasn't a moment of rage. According to prosecutors, it was a calculated, deliberate act: a long gun, a rooftop, and a public figure in the crosshairs. In this powerful and deeply psychological episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski is joined by psychotherapist and forensic behavioral expert Shavaun Scott to examine the disturbing case of Tyler James Robinson, the man charged with murdering Charlie Kirk in front of a crowd at Utah Valley University. Authorities allege Robinson left behind a handwritten note, confessed to the act in a text message, and planned the shooting for over a week. Prosecutors are calling it ideologically motivated, and they're seeking the death penalty. But this isn't just about what allegedly happened. It's about how people get there.  What makes someone move from grievance to violence? From obsession to execution? From believing in a cause to believing that murder is justified? Together, Tony and Shavaun break down the psychology of targeted violence, including: The mindset behind planned attacks vs. spontaneous rage What the term “leakage” means—and how it shows up in text messages and online behavior Why offenders often see themselves as heroes, protectors, or martyrs The role of digital radicalization, algorithmic echo chambers, and identity reinforcement The symbolism of engraved weapons, public executions, and post-crime behavior What institutions, families, and friends can realistically do to stop the next shooter This interview dives deep into the dark corners of obsession, warning signs, and the narratives people build around violence. It's not about sensationalism—it's about understanding the patterns, so we can finally learn how to stop them. If you've ever asked yourself, “How could no one see this coming?”—this is the conversation you need to hear.

This wasn't an outburst. It was, according to prosecutors, a deliberate, public execution. A bolt-action rifle. A rooftop. A single shot aimed at a political figure speaking to a crowd of thousands. Prosecutors say Tyler James Robinson left a note, sent texts, and planned every detail. In this gripping and unsettling episode of Hidden Killers, Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott unravel the deeper psychology of targeted violence—and how some killers don't just act, they perform. From the alleged planning to the engraving on the bullets, the post-crime concealment, and the so-called “energy burst” of activity right after the shot—this wasn't just about killing. It was about control. Symbolism. Message. In this interview, we explore: How violent actors create their own mythology around the act The psychology of public spectacle and performance-driven violence Why some shooters choose rooftops, long guns, and high-attention moments What happens psychologically after the act: the crash, the clean-up, and the final justification We also examine how obsession, identity, and a need for significance play into the creation of what some perpetrators see as a necessary act of violence. If you've ever wondered what turns someone from angry to armed—and what mental framework allows a person to believe they're righteous in doing so—this is the episode to watch.

Mental Health Misused, Evidence Destroyed, Questions Ignored | Ellen Greenberg Deep Dive Ellen Greenberg was found with 20 stab wounds — including 10 in the back of her neck. And yet, her death was ruled a suicide. How? And more importantly — why? In this deeply psychological and emotionally charged episode of Hidden Killers Live, host Tony Brueski is joined by psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to unpack not just the facts of the case, but the emotional truth that's been obscured for over a decade. We start with Ellen's mental state — not just in the days before her death, but over the months of quiet withdrawal that went ignored or misinterpreted. She stopped wearing her engagement ring. She told her parents she wanted to come home. And yet, no one — not friends, not authorities — ever seemed to ask what she might have been retreating from. Then we turn to the psychiatric timeline. Ellen had three sessions with a psychiatrist. No history of suicide attempts. No diagnosed depression. No recorded ideation. And yet that paper-thin narrative — “she was anxious” — became the foundation for an official suicide ruling. We also confront what happened after her death — the reversal from homicide to suicide, the cleaned crime scene, the missing chain of custody, and the devices removed by her fiancé's uncle before detectives could investigate. Her fiancé, Sam Goldberg, never pushed back on the suicide narrative. In fact, he reportedly said, “Do you think I killed her?” This case isn't just forensic failure. It's emotional sabotage, institutional betrayal, and a test of whether truth still matters when it's inconvenient. This episode doesn't just question the ruling — it questions the people who accepted it. Sam Goldberg, Ellen Greenberg's fiancé at the time of her death, has never been charged with any crime in connection to this case. He has consistently maintained that Ellen's death was a suicide. All individuals mentioned in this segment are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise.

“Do You Think I Killed Her?” Sam Goldberg's Haunting Words About Ellen Greenberg What happens when the system doesn't just fail you — it rewrites the story entirely? In this emotionally raw and deeply insightful episode of Hidden Killers Live, host Tony Brueski is joined by psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to discuss the most disturbing layer of the Ellen Greenberg case: the aftermath. After Ellen was found with 20 stab wounds — including 10 to the back of her neck — the medical examiner originally ruled her death a homicide. But that ruling was quietly reversed after a meeting with police. No new evidence. No second autopsy. Just a narrative pivot that reshaped everything. And because it was ruled a suicide, the apartment wasn't preserved. It was cleaned. Her devices were removed by her fiancé's uncle. Chain of custody was destroyed. Crime scene photos were incomplete. And the investigation? Essentially shut down. In this segment, we explore the psychological impact of institutional betrayal — not just on Ellen's family, but on every family forced to accept a story that doesn't make sense. We also dig into: Why families are often shamed into silence when they challenge suicide rulings What it means when someone close to the victim — like a fiancé — shows no visible grief or curiosity How mental health labels like “anxious” are weaponized to close cases And whether emotional closure is still possible when legal justice never comes Ellen Greenberg's case isn't just a forensic failure — it's a psychological one. And if this is what happens when families ask questions, what does that say about how we treat grief, truth, and the dead? Sam Goldberg, Ellen Greenberg's fiancé at the time of her death, has never been charged with any crime in connection to this case. He has consistently maintained that Ellen's death was a suicide. All individuals mentioned in this segment are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise.

From Teacher to Tragedy: Breaking Down Ellen Greenberg's Mental State | Psych Expert Weighs In Was Ellen Greenberg's death the result of a private mental health spiral — or a sign of something far more sinister?  In this deeply psychological episode of Hidden Killers Live, we're joined by psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to explore the emotional and behavioral profile of Ellen Greenberg as portrayed in the new Hulu documentary Death in Apartment 603. We begin not with the crime scene — but with the person. Ellen was a 27-year-old first-grade teacher, beloved by her students and deeply connected to her family and friends. She was newly engaged. Planning a wedding. Dreaming of a family. So how did we go from that… to 20 stab wounds and a suicide ruling? In this episode, we walk through three major psychological layers of the case:

This Changes Everything: What the Ellen Greenberg Doc Just Revealed & What's Next? This case was buried under paperwork, silence, and a suicide label. Until now. In this revealing episode of Hidden Killers Live, host Tony Brueski sits down with psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to explore what the Hulu documentary Death in Apartment 603 has exposed — and what the psychological profile of Ellen Greenberg actually tells us. Ellen was found with 20 stab wounds, including 10 to the back of her neck, and no history of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or major depression. The documentary lays bare what had been kept in the shadows for years — and now, Shavaun helps us walk through the emotional truth behind the evidence. We dig into what this story reveals about: Ellen's emotional withdrawal: Why she suddenly pulled back from her life — and what she may have been signaling The clinical record: Three sessions with a psychiatrist. No ideation. A future she was planning. So how did “anxiety” get weaponized as the reason she's gone? The crime scene: Cleaned within 24 hours. Devices taken before police could retrieve them. A homicide ruling reversed without new evidence. And then we get to the deeper trauma:  What happens to a family when the official story doesn't just feel wrong — it is wrong? What happens when the institutions you're supposed to trust look you in the eye and say, “Move on”? This segment doesn't just revisit the case — it reveals why the public was misled, how a suicide narrative was institutionalized, and what it actually takes to dismantle that lie after more than a decade of damage. Watch this episode and ask yourself — what else have we been told to accept that never made psychological sense in the first place? Sam Goldberg, Ellen Greenberg's fiancé at the time of her death, has never been charged with any crime in connection to this case. He has consistently maintained that Ellen's death was a suicide. All individuals mentioned in this segment are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise.

Welcome to the "Week in Review," where we delve into the true stories behind this week's headlines. Your host, Tony Brueski, joins hands with a rotating roster of guests, sharing their insights and analysis on a collection of intriguing, perplexing, and often chilling stories that made the news.       This is not your average news recap. With the sharp investigative lens of Tony and his guests, the show uncovers layers beneath the headlines, offering a comprehensive perspective that traditional news can often miss. From high-profile criminal trials to in-depth examinations of ongoing investigations, this podcast takes listeners on a fascinating journey through the world of true crime and current events.       Each episode navigates through multiple stories, illuminating their details with factual reporting, expert commentary, and engaging conversation. Tony and his guests discuss each case's nuances, complexities, and human elements, delivering a multi-dimensional understanding to their audience.  Whether you are a dedicated follower of true crime, or an everyday listener interested in the stories shaping our world, the "Week in Review" brings you the perfect balance of intrigue, information, and intelligent conversation. Expect thoughtful analysis, informed opinions, and thought-provoking discussions beyond the 24-hour news cycle. Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

The Holocaust Ring Wendy Adelson Refused to Return! Dan Markel Divorce Bombshell Divorce filings can reveal more than testimony ever could. In this segment of Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski, the spotlight turns to Dan Markel's legal filings against Wendy Adelson — allegations that paint a picture of manipulation, secrecy, and unilateral control. From accusations of hidden accounts and blocked communication, to the shocking claim that Wendy refused to return a Holocaust family ring to Dan's relatives, these filings suggest behavior that went far beyond typical divorce disputes. Tony and Shavaun Scott examine what these allegations reveal about the Adelson family's mindset and how material objects, like the Holocaust ring, can become symbols of dominance in toxic relationships. Listeners are reminded that while these were never adjudicated in court due to Dan's murder, the filings remain powerful indicators of how bitter and destructive the conflict had become. This segment reveals the financial and emotional battleground that formed the backdrop to one of the most notorious true crime cases in recent history. Hashtags:  #WendyAdelson #DanMarkel #HolocaustRing #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott #TrueCrimePodcast #HiddenKillers #AdelsonTrial #CourtFilings #TrueCrimeCommunity Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Were Wendy's Kids Pawns in the Adelson Murder Plot Of Dan Markel? Expert Weighs In When psychotherapist and author Shavaun Scott joins Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski, the conversation shifts from testimony to analysis — and the insights are chilling. Scott explains how children in families like the Adelsons are often treated not as individuals but as pawns, used to meet the emotional needs of manipulative parents and grandparents. The discussion explores Wendy Adelson's choices through the lens of generational trauma and narcissistic control. Was Wendy repeating the patterns instilled in her by her mother, Donna Adelson? How does such an environment shape children who are caught in the crossfire of divorce, custody disputes, and — ultimately — violence? Blending professional expertise with raw personal reflections from Tony and his co-hosts, this segment delivers a powerful mix of true crime and psychology. Listeners are left with a deeper understanding of not just what happened, but why such destructive family dynamics can persist across generations — and the lasting scars they leave behind. Hashtags:  #ShavaunScott #WendyAdelson #DanMarkel #TonyBrueski #AdelsonTrial #TrueCrimePodcast #HiddenKillers #FamilyDynamics #ParentingAnalysis #TrueCrimeCommunity Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Inside Wendy Adelson's Explosive Fight With Her Boyfriend Jeff Lacasse Jeff Lacasse's relationship with Wendy Adelson was anything but stable. In this segment of Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski, listeners are taken inside a critical fight in Gainesville, where Jeff's suspicions of infidelity and Wendy's manipulative promises collided in a heated argument. From promises that Jeff would soon be “Daddy” to her children, to sudden cold shoulders and disappearing acts, Wendy's behavior painted the portrait of a woman living in contradictions. The hosts analyze what this rollercoaster dynamic says about Wendy's psychological state and the influence of her family. Was she stringing Jeff along to serve a hidden agenda? Was her erratic treatment of him a reflection of deeper turmoil as the Markel case inched toward tragedy? This segment underscores how personal relationships can reveal truths that legal filings alone cannot. Through Jeff's testimony, the audience gains a clearer picture of the chaos and volatility surrounding Wendy Adelson in the final months before Dan Markel's murder — and how even intimate relationships were twisted into the larger web of manipulation. Hashtags:  #WendyAdelson #JeffLacasse #DanMarkel #AdelsonTrial #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimePodcast #HiddenKillers #FamilyDrama #CourtroomTestimony #TrueCrimeCommunity Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Big Breakdown: Inside the Aftermath of Charlie Kirks' Murder The assassination of Charlie Kirks has shaken America in a way few acts of political violence have in recent memory. In this Big Breakdown on Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski, we go inside the case with retired FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott to analyze the evidence, the psychology, and the aftermath. According to prosecutors, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson allegedly acted alone, deciding in just over a week to build his weapon, target Kirks, and carry out the murder. Investigators say he left a handwritten note, later destroyed by his partner, Lance Twigs — though a photographed copy remains central to the case. Add to that a chilling set of text messages where Robinson casually confessed — worrying more about his grandfather's rifle and fingerprints than the fact he had just killed a man — and the picture becomes even darker. Coffindaffer breaks down why these texts matter, how the FBI will scrutinize the destroyed note, and why the “sloppiness” of this crime actually reinforces the lone wolf threat the Bureau has warned about for decades. This wasn't a sophisticated plot with layers of planning — it was impulsive, callous, and terrifyingly easy to pull off. Then, Shavaun Scott joins the conversation to discuss why this assassination feels different for so many Americans. Why does the killing of a controversial but mainstream political commentator resonate across the political spectrum? What does it reveal about polarization, rage culture, and the addictive pull of online outrage? And why are conspiracy theories already flooding the conversation before the investigation is even complete? From the evidence on the ground to the broader cultural fallout, this episode explores both the criminal case against Robinson and the collective anxiety gripping America in the wake of Charlie Kirks' murder. Subscribe now for more unflinching coverage and let us know in the comments: Do you believe this was truly the act of a lone wolf — or is there more beneath the surface? Hashtags #CharlieKirks #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #CharlieKirksMurder #JenniferCoffindaffer #ShavaunScott #PoliticalViolence #LoneWolf #TrueCrimeCommunity #HiddenKillersPodcast Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

How Do You Parent After Murder? Wendy Adelson's Children in Crisis What happens to children when their father is murdered, their grandparents are in prison, and suspicion hangs over their mother? In this closing segment of Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski, the panel and Shavaun Scott tackle the impossible parenting dilemmas at the heart of the Adelson saga. The discussion asks blunt questions: How can Wendy Adelson raise her children under such a cloud of suspicion? How do kids process the reality that their family members conspired to kill their father? And what hope exists for them to break free from the toxic cycles of manipulation and control that seem to define the Adelson legacy? Far from sensational, this conversation is emotionally grounded and painfully honest. Tony, Stacy, Todd, and Shavaun weigh the long-term psychological impacts, the role of therapy, and the possibility of rebuilding identity outside of the Adelson name. It's a sobering close to a story that blends true crime with the deepest questions about love, loyalty, and survival. Hashtags:  #WendyAdelson #DanMarkel #ShavaunScott #TonyBrueski #AdelsonTrial #TrueCrimePodcast #HiddenKillers #ParentingAfterMurder #FamilyTrauma #TrueCrimeCommunity Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Has Wendi Escaped Justice? Or Is She Still Living Under Suspicion? The final segment brings the conversation into the present day. Wendi Adelson's testimony, her relocation battles, and her contradictions in court all take center stage. Tony, Stacy, and Todd review her statements about wanting to move closer to her family, her denial of their role, and her evasive answers about timelines and details. But the discussion goes deeper: what happens to the children caught in the middle of this family nightmare? The Adelson grandchildren have grown up under a cloud of suspicion, cut off from parts of their father's family, and shaped by the toxic loyalty of Donna and Charlie. The psychological scars are undeniable, and the hosts, along with Shavaun, explore how therapy and time might — or might not — heal wounds this deep. This segment also looks at the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Wendi herself. She's never been charged. She may never be. Yet her name remains tied to the Adelson family conspiracy in every headline, every podcast, every courtroom recap. Whether guilty, complicit, or simply unlucky, her life — and the lives of her children — are forever marked. It's a sobering end to an episode full of bizarre twists, chilling insights, and unanswered questions. One thing is clear: the Adelson case isn't done shaping the people at the center of it, and the fallout will last for generations.

If Wendi Adelson DIDN'T Know: Living Under the Shadow Donna Adelson & Murder What if Wendi Adelson didn't know? In this segment, the focus shifts to the other possibility — that Wendi was in the dark but still forced to live with the fallout of her family's deadly choices. Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott explains how trauma, survivor's guilt, and family enmeshment can shape someone's reactions even when they aren't guilty themselves. The discussion dives into the possibility that Wendi suspected her family was capable of terrible things but had no direct knowledge. How do you live when your deepest fears about your family might be true, but you can't prove them? And what happens when the outcome — the relocation she wanted — comes true, but at the cost of a murder she didn't ask for? The segment also looks at the long-term toll of living under constant suspicion. Even if Wendi was innocent, every headline, every courtroom appearance, every whisper ties her closer to a murder conspiracy. The mental burden of that kind of scrutiny can warp anyone's sense of safety and identity. This “what if she didn't know” scenario isn't a free pass — it's a different kind of prison. One built from trauma, fear, and the knowledge that she benefited from a horrific crime whether she wanted to or not.

If Wendi Adelson KNEW: Psychotherapist Breaks Down the Mind Games Psychotherapist and author Shavaun Scott joins the conversation, bringing a professional lens to the question haunting the case: what if Wendi Adelson actually knew? In this segment, the team explores the psychology of complicity. Could Wendi's scattered interview responses reflect someone who was covering up knowledge of her family's role in Dan Markel's murder? Shavaun explains how people in enmeshed families often compartmentalize, splitting their lives into separate realities. On the outside, Wendi was a respected law professor and mother. But if she knew, privately she may have been carrying the weight of a devastating secret — one that fractured her identity into two halves. The discussion also highlights Donna Adelson's outsized role as a domineering, controlling matriarch. Raised in that environment, Wendi may have lacked the tools to assert independence. If she knew her family was involved, how could she have processed that truth while still functioning in her professional and public life? The conversation paints a chilling picture of how someone could live with knowledge of a horrific crime and still present a polished, even sympathetic, exterior. And it raises the question: if Wendi knew, how much of her behavior was guilt — and how much was survival inside a toxic family system?

Donna Adelson's Appeal EXPOSED + Wendi Adelson's Interrogation — COMPLETE Breakdown! In this Hidden Killers Live special, we dedicate a full two hours to the unraveling of the Adelson family, breaking down Donna Adelson's desperate appeal and Wendi Adelson's unforgettable police interview. From the bizarre revelation that Donna's appeal lawyer operates out of a crematorium to the flimsy legal arguments her team is raising, nothing is off the table. The first half of this deep dive unpacks Donna Adelson's appeal step by step: juror TikTok posts, claims of judicial bias, and arguments about courtroom reactions. With sharp humor and hard analysis, Tony, Stacy, and Todd show how weak and desperate these defenses appear — and why the appeal is unlikely to succeed. Then the spotlight turns to Wendi Adelson. We revisit her initial police interview after the murder of Dan Markel, where her nervous rambling, contradictions, and bizarre tangents paint a disturbing picture. Did she know more than she was saying? Or was she simply overwhelmed? The team dissects every twist in her words, comparing her behavior to the controlling influence of her mother, Donna. Joining the discussion is psychotherapist and author Shavaun Scott, who offers expert insight into the psychology of the Adelson family. She examines both possibilities: what if Wendi knew, and what if she didn't? From compartmentalization and trauma to toxic family loyalty and control, Shavaun helps us understand the deeper forces that could have shaped Wendi's words and actions. The episode closes with a sobering discussion of the Adelson children — teenagers now — who have grown up under this cloud of murder, conspiracy, and family dysfunction. The psychological damage is clear, and the path forward is uncertain. This is the full 2 hour breakdown — bizarre, chilling, and absolutely riveting. If you've been following the Adelson case, you won't want to miss a minute.

Welcome to the "Week in Review," where we delve into the true stories behind this week's headlines. Your host, Tony Brueski, joins hands with a rotating roster of guests, sharing their insights and analysis on a collection of intriguing, perplexing, and often chilling stories that made the news.       This is not your average news recap. With the sharp investigative lens of Tony and his guests, the show uncovers layers beneath the headlines, offering a comprehensive perspective that traditional news can often miss. From high-profile criminal trials to in-depth examinations of ongoing investigations, this podcast takes listeners on a fascinating journey through the world of true crime and current events.       Each episode navigates through multiple stories, illuminating their details with factual reporting, expert commentary, and engaging conversation. Tony and his guests discuss each case's nuances, complexities, and human elements, delivering a multi-dimensional understanding to their audience.  Whether you are a dedicated follower of true crime, or an everyday listener interested in the stories shaping our world, the "Week in Review" brings you the perfect balance of intrigue, information, and intelligent conversation. Expect thoughtful analysis, informed opinions, and thought-provoking discussions beyond the 24-hour news cycle. Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872